I always loved to go fishing, especially in small rivers and shallow hard-to-get places. Most of the time, that meant going out in a canoe, which as we all know, can be very tricky and at times... very wet! Being a Tennessee man, I can tell ya the water can be pretty cold! It only took one flip, in Beaver Creek, on a cold winter day, to realize there had to be a better way. How could a fisherman get the remote access that a canoe provided and still get superior stability?

In the mid 1960's, I was working as senior designer at the Kennedy Space Center. One day I came across the drawings of a boat I had sketched, many years before, when I worked as a draftsman, at Dempster Brothers, in Knoxville, Tennessee. With a few more years of design work behind me, I drew up a design that would not only be extremely stable but would allow the option of an outboard motor! I figured this would save my paddling arm for more fishing! The design also let me get into really shallow water which works out great when fishing the flats and marshes. In 1968, the Gheenoe (part Gheen - part canoe) was born.

In 1970, my beloved wife, Bobbie, and I decided that fisherman around the world needed to have access to this boat. It was then that I said good-bye to the great folks at Kennedy Space Center and started Gheen Manufacturing. My entire family poured "blood, sweat, and tears" into this project, ate lots of beans and taters, and now, after almost 4 decades, I'm proud to say... it was well worth it!

Has the Gheenoe ever been copied? You better believe it has! But the quality of the handmade Gheenoe family boats has never been matched! Oddly enough, most of the copy cats actually cost more than the original!

We now offer 4 models built here at our main facility. Two 120 pound Gheenoe's, the 13' and 15'4" models, which are light enough to easily be put on top of a car or in the back of a truck. We have two wider and roomier Gheenoe's, the 15'6" Classic for the fisherman who wants a little more room, and the largest Gheenoe - a 16' Super, available with stick steering or center console. The Super is considered, by many, to be the World's Ultimate Flats Boat. There are two additional models being manufactured in the CustomGheenoe.com shop, across town, by my third son, "Pugar".

If you're trying to get into really shallow water, wanting to brag about the one that didn't get away, out to bag your limit of ducks, or just looking for a fun, safe day on the water with the family, .... think Gheenoe! If you want a boat that's nearly impossible to tip over... become a happy Gheenoe owner!

One more thing, we have over 50,000 happy customers who swear by our product...the same quality product, we have been making for forty years. I promise you that the Gheenoe will be forever among the best-loved boats ever owned. Every Gheenoe is built with the kind of quality that will allow you to pass this boat down to your children or grandchildren. I personally oversee the construction of every single Gheenoe.

To our loyal dealers and customers, THANK YOU! We've been building quality boats for over 40 years because of you!